The Fall semester is now behind us and we have entered a new year since my last update.

Dr. Mike O’Neill has joined us as the new Associate Dean for Extension and Outreach and has hit the ground running. He has been meeting with extension faculty and staff, department heads and stakeholders as he settles into his new role.

Before the holiday break, I visited the Young Building to look at progress on the renovation. The newly reconfigured space has been framed in so that we can now see our new place take shape. Much work remains to be done but we appear to remain on schedule for a late-summer return to our renovated space. Dean Faustman and I are reviewing assigned space to ensure that we make the best use of the available space upon our return. Office and laboratory space will remain an ongoing challenge for the College despite the renovation with the addition of up to nine new faculty hires for fall 2013.

During the fall semester, the Faculty Council led an initiative to consider a name change for the College. Following consideration of a number of alternative names, the faculty voted to propose changing the name of our College to the College of Agriculture, Health and the Environment. More than 80 percent of the faculty approved of this proposed change. This name, I believe, better represents the broad scope of our programs in the College. Our request now moves to the Provost for his consideration and approval.

I hope everyone had a restful holiday break with family and friends and are ready for a great new year.

Gregory J. Weidemann

Dean and Director

Gregory Weidemann
Dean and Director,
College of Agriculture
and Natural Resources